Hindsight: Ravens devour Dolphins, 38-6
Cover32/Ravens is proud to present Hindsight, a weekly article that will reflect on the most recent game, highlighting points of interest and importance to Ravens Nation.
Hindsight: Going up 14-0 was huge.
There have been a number of games where the Ravens have gone up 10-0, especially as of late. The outcome typically was determined by what came next–if a team responded with a
TD, it has meant trouble; if a FG, game on; if nothing, gamesetmatch. Sunday, the Ravens defied the 10-0 rule and blasted into the endzone for a 14-0 lead. It seemed, at that point, that the Dolphins were doomed. But the Dolphins had a chance to answer the inital score and make it 7-3. The results were deflating for them:
The Ravens immediately drove down to go up 14-0, stopped the Dolphins again to go up 21-0, stopped the Dolphins right before the half and got into FG range (which pretty much has meant 3 points this season) and led 24-0 at half. The rest was academic, at this point.
Hindsight: Ajayi was more impressive than Elliott.
Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi is dangerous. He combines size with power and speed, and sneers, quickly, at half-tackles. He single-handedly gave the Dolphins their field position in the first quarter that could have at least made the game more competitive, had the Franks FG been good. The Ravens focused more on him in the 2nd half and did a solid job stopping him, but he made a statement to the astute football eye–he must be accounted for.
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Hindsight: Eric Weddle, the Playmaker, could have gone for six.
It wasn’t a shoo-in, but with a little more blocking from teammates, it seems that S Eric Weddle could have taken his 53-yard INT return about 45 more yards, for a touchdown. His main pursuit came from WR Devonte Parker, who ran right by a Raven that could have blocked him, and WR Jarvis Landry, who also could have been blocked from hard pursuit. Weddle slowed down because of Parker, enabling Landry to tackle him.
If these two were blocked, I believe Weddle would have kept running at full speed, and with a lead block, could have squeezed by the ever-tiring linemen who were pursuing at an angle. A little help, fellas!
Hindsight: Breshad Perriman is as fast as lightning.
Last week, it was his Wideout mate and mentor Mike Wallace in this very space. This time, it was Breshad Perriman, on a very similar route, who flashed lethal speed. The space was created by a pick-like crossup between he and Pitta that caught the Miami DBs, along with an excellent clearing route run by Steve Smith Sr. But once he got the one step, it was totally lights out.
Hindsight: Joe Flacco was the most confident of 2016.
This is different than being the most productive, which he clearly was. This is being the “Joe Cool” that we have come to know over the years, the fearless leader who regularly notches wins @ Pittsburgh and throws multiple touchdowns every single visit to New England. (4 the last time, 2014.) His attitude was fiery and unyielding early, his body language was very strong, he may as well have had the words “IMPOSE WILL” on the back of his purple 5 jersey. Go back and look at his demeanor at the beginning of the Cincinnati game. A world of difference. Perhaps it was that this is his game plan, perhaps it was that reported tussle with Offensive Coordinator MArty Mornhinweg in a meeting during the week; whatever the source, Flacco was back and elite.
Hindsight: We could have seen a repeat of the intentional hold/safety.
The Ravens had the ball and were running the clock out in the 4th quarter. As the final play approached, the game clock and play clock were neck-and-neck. Had there been a few more seconds on the game clock, like 9 more, we very well might have seen the exact same play as last week, where the Ravens line up for a punt and surrender a safety. I was actually hoping to see it again, what a great punctuation that would have been to pulling off that rules loophole. Unfortunately for me, the game clock allowed the Ravens to fully run time out without running the 4th down play.
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